Visit of Cantanhede, quiet town of Portugal

Portugal is a country known for its tranquillity. Most of the Portuguese cities are havens of peace, despite the negative evolution of crime in recent years. «Portugal é um país de brandos costumes» was used to say, “Portugal is a sweet custom country.» It is one of the first European countries to abolished the death penalty, in 1867, the last execution dating from 1849. In addition, there is no imprisonment for life, the maximum penalty is limited to 25 years. I love to remember this historical fact. Of course it does not mean that the Portuguese are the most gentle people on Europe, oh no, nasty things were also done in a few hundred years…

City Hall of Cantanhede

Place with palm trees and sports ground

Equestrian statue of the Count of Cantanhede

I will make you discover typically Portuguese town, with the City of Cantanhede photo reportage. I also did a small tour in a village not far, Cadima.

Main church of Cantanhede

Church nearby the “pelourinho”

Cantanhede is a town in the Centre region, a “concelho”, a Portuguese administrative area. It is a predominantly agricultural concelho, where the local economy is based mainly on small-scale agriculture. It is just in the city itself where the tertiary sector is in majority, like in any other city of the country

Count of Cantanhede, Marquess of Marialva, a Portuguese hero of the resistance to Spanish occupation

The city, despite its rural component, is booming with population increases. The arrival of important scientific poles in Cantanhede attracts many researchers, who will remain, attracted by the quality of life of this small town of 7000 inhabitants, 38 000 in all of the concelho.

Court of Cantanhede

Entrance of the city

It is also in the concelho of Cantanhede we have one of the best-known Portuguese gastronomic dishes: Leitão da Bairrada, suckling pig roasted, from the region of Bairrada, including Covões, villages of Cantanhede. We will of course one day write a small story specially dedicated to this delicious culinary tradition: D